Machine for sewing pockets



July 16, 1929. J'. F. GAIL 1,720,658

MACHINE FOR SEWING POCKETS Filed May 26, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 16, 1929. J. F. GAIL MACHINE FOR SEWING POCKETS Filed May 26, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 jwerzr J5wf L 350% Jrwi W Y m July 16, 1929. J. F. GAIL MACHINE FOR SEWING POCKETS Filed May 26, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 16, 1929. J. F. GAIL 1,720,658

MACHINE FOR SEWING POCKETS Filed May 26, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 JuflvJw m J 470 32 4 July 16, 1929.

J. F. GAIL MACHINE FOR SEWING POCKETS Filed May 26, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 16, 1929. J. F. GAIL 1,720,658

MACHINE FOR SEWING POGKETS Filed May 26, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 jizv i Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

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Application fled an as, 1955. semi 10. 3am.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for sewing pockets and is of particular value for making pockets in strips of fabric such as are used in the construction of spring filled mattresses ofthe Marshall type, for instance, as disclosed in the Marshall Patent No. 698,529.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide an improvedfmachine for connecting a two-ply strip of fabric along a series of spaced lines extending transversely of the strip so as to form a series of pockets in said strip; to provide a machineof the class described which shall be automatic in operation, simple in design, economical to manufacture, operate and maintain and, in general, to provide an improved machine of the character referred to.

In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation. of said machine.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section takenon the line 4 -4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a reverse plan view of the stationary feed gear.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a sect-ion taken on the line'7-7 of-Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a. sectiontaken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 9 is a detail viewshowing a portion of the thread cutting apparatus.

The main parts of the machine are mounted upon a frame comprising a rear A- frame 20, and a front A-frame 21, integrally connected by suitable girts 22. The rear frame 20 is extended upwardly as shown at 23 in order to form a support for a sewing machine designated as a whole 24 which is equipped with the usual transverse feed, i. e. transversely of the upper arm 25 of the sewing machine. Said sewing machine is preferably of the continuous chain .stitch type and may be single or double thread. Preferably, the arm 25 is spaced from the born 26 of the sewing machine a somewhat greater distance than with the ordinary sewing machine so as to permit the free assage of certain parts which will be described later.

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a suitable kely'27, a fixed axially horizontal sleeve 28 w ich'sup rts a airof fixed spiders 29 and 30. T e axis 0 the sleeve 28 is parallel with the sewing machine arms 25 and26 so that the feed of the sewing ma-.-

chine will be in a direction transversely ofthe sleeve axis. '1'

Around the periphery of the spiders 29 and i 30, n a continuous series except for the gaps which accommodate the lower horn of the sewing machine (as shown in Fig. 8), there are supported two series of rollers 31 which form in effect a roller bearing for the inner drum 32, said inner drum 32 rotating within the gap of the sewin machine and of course over'the horn 26. aid horn is of suitable shape at the outer end thereof so that the top of the feed mechanism 32' will be at sub-' stantially the same level as the top of the inner drum 32. Assuch feed mechanism and sewing mechanisms are of a construction well known to those skilled in the art, I will not further describe any parts of the sewing machine or-its feed mechanism. The front A-frame 21 is offset inwardl as shown at 33 and at its upper end has a as 34 in which is keyed another fixed sleeve 35 which is co-axial with the sleeve 28 previously described. Within the sleeves 35 and 28 there is journaled a stout horizontal shaft 36 extending outwardly beyond the sleeve 35. To said outer end of the shaft 36, there is keyed a worm gear 37 with which meshes a worm 38 keyed on a cross shaft 39. Said cross shaft 39, as shown best in Fig. 2, is

The other end of the horizontal cross shaft 39 is supported to rotate in a bearing 42 at the upper end of a floor' standard 43 and on the extreme outer end of the shaft 39 there is keyed a worm gear 44. Said worm gear 44 is driven by a worm 45 (see Fig. 3) on a longitudinal horizontal shaft 46 also supported in suitablebearings on the floor standard 43 and A-frame 20. On the rear end of the said shaft 46 there'is keyed a driving pulley 47 which is driven by a belt 48 trained over a pulley 49 keyed to the shaft 50 of the sewing machine. Shaft 50 'is continuously pulley 50 and belt 51.

It will be manifest that the shaft 36 will be drivenvat a very slow speed compared gear ratio adopted will be controlled by the distance around the periphery of the drum 32 and the feed adjustment of the sewing machine. If the periphery of the drum measures 100 inches and if the feed of the sewing machine is one-tenth of an inch, then the gear ratio will obviously be approximately 1060 to 1, although in some cases it may be desirable to run the drum a trifle slower. than the theoretical speed, so as to prevent puckering of the fabric.

The outer drum 52 which may be of sub-- stantially the same diameter as the inner drum 32 and coaxial therewith, is supported by a spider 53 to the periphery 'of which the drum 52 is rigidly secured. as by rivets 54. The hub of said spider 53 is keyed to the shaft 36 so that the said spider 53 and drum 52 will rotate with said shaft. In order to transfer said rotary movement to the inner drum 32 so that both of said drums will ro-.

tat'e in unison, I prefer to form annular gear teeth 55 and 56 on the adjacent inner-peripheries of the said drums. Said gear teeth 55 and 56 are respectively meshed with small spur pinions 57 and 58, keyed to the opposlte ends of a small shaft 59 rotatably mounted in the lower end of a depending arm 60, keyed to the outer end of the fixed sleeve 28 previously described.

The machineherein illustrated is designed to operate upon a set of twelve strips of fabric, each strip comprising a strip of fabric folded or doubled longitudinally so that when the transverse lines of stitching are formed therein, the pockets will be defined therein and completed except for the final closing of one end thereof after the insertion of the springs.

The twelve unsewed two-ply strips of fabric are put up in the form of rolls 61, said twelve rolls'being supported by the outer drum 52 at circumferentially equi-spaced intervals. The completed strip with the pockets sewed therein is wound up on the inner drum 32, also in the form of a roll 62, each of said rolls 62 being aligned with the unsewed strip-roll 61. The paying out and take-up mechanisms for the strips 63 will now be described.

As shown best in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the raw material is wound upon spindles 64-. which are removably mounted and adapted to revolve in pairs of suitably spaced brackets or standards 65, bolted to theouter end of the outer drum 52. The strip 63 is taken off from the bottom of the roll 61 and passes through or between a pair of gripper rolls 66 and 67. Each of the bottom rolls 67 is journaled on a shaft rotatably supported in inwardly extending arms 68 'and 69 bolted to the inner periphery of the outer drum 52. The outer gripper rolls 66 are mounted upon shafts 70, the ends of which are journaled in bearing blocks 71 slidably mounted in standards 72 bolted to the outer periphery of the outer drum 52. Springs 73 and adjusting screws 7 4; enable the pressure of the gripper rolls to be properly adjusted to fit the conditions. 1

The gripper rolls 66 and 67 serve as capstans for controlling the paying out of the strip from the raw material spools or rolls 61. For each revolution ofthe drum 52, the capstan roll 6 7 is positively rotated a suflicient amount to advance the strip a distance equal to the space between the transverse stitch lines. Such positive movement of the capstan roll 67 is effected by the following mechan1sm.-

On the shaft 75 of the capstan roll, there is keyed a spur gear 76 which meshes with an intermediate gear 77 rotatably mounted on the arm 69. Said intermediate gear 77 meshes with an inner spur gear-78 which is keyed to a shaft 79, the ends of which are journaled in the inner ends of the arms 68 and 69. I also key to the shaft 79, a star gear 80 having as teeth a relatively small number of round radially extending pins 81 which mesh with worm threads on the outer periphery of a spider 82, keyed to the inner end of the sleeve 35 previously described.

As shown best in Figs. 4 and 5, said worm threads comprises a series of oblique teeth 83 occupying a comparatively small arc of the lower circumference of the spider 82. In order to guide and properly position the star wheels 80, I form on the outside of the spider,

a guide rib or thread 84 which extends continuously around the spider 82 a suflicient distance to connect the fragmentary cross threads 85 and 86 at the opposite ends of the series of operative teeth or threads 83. It will be manifest that with this arrangement, the spider 82 being maintained stationary, the star gear 80 will be revolved a definite distance for each revolution of the drum, the rotation taking place when the star wheel is carried past the teeth portion of the spider 82 at the lower end thereof. The thread 84 will obviously hold the star gear against rotation duringthe other portion of the revolution of the drum.

The take-up devices are best shown in Figs. 1,-3 and 6. Referring to the said figures, it will be observed that on the rear periphery of the drum 32, there are mounted a series of pairs of brackets 85 in which there are removably and rotatably mounted shafts 86 carrying spools 87. The surface of said spools 87 may be fanged or roughened so as to grip the end of the-strip 63 at the commencement of the winding up operation. Said shafts 86 are fitted with a friction clutch device 88 through which the shaft may be frictionally driven, said friction clutch 88 constituting in effect, a slip drive. I On the end of said shaft 86 (see Fig. 7) there is secured a bevel gear 89 which is driven by a mating bevel gear 90 on a small shaft 91 mounted to rotate in a small bearing block 92 formed as a part of one of the brackets 85. On the inner end of each of the shafts 91 there is keyed a narrow faced spur gear 93, which, during a certain part of the revolution of the drum, engages a circular rack'bar 94 bolted to the sides of the A-frame 20. (See also Fig. 3.)

The position of the rack 94 with reference to the position of the actuating teeth 83 of the fixed worm spider 82, is such that the gear 93 will commence to rotate and exert a winding up tendency upon the strip 63 slightly in ad- Vance of or not later than the time when the star gear 81 will commence to rotate and operate the capstan roll 67. Hence the strip 63 will always be maintained taut, since the rack 94 will preferably occupy a slightly greater are than the arc through which extend the 0perative teeth 83 of the capstan spider 82. Preferably, in order to present the strip 63 properly to the take-up spools 87, there is provided a small guide roll 95 intermediate the stitching zone and the brackets 85.

In order to avoid the necessity of a subsequent operation in severing the stitch connection between the adjacent strips, and in order to facilitate winding up of the finished strip on spools 87, I prefer to perform such severing operation just after the line of stitching leaves the stitching zone. A mechanism for this purpose is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. It will be observed that to the upper arm 25 of the sewing machine, I secure a bracket 96 which supports a solenoid magnet 97 having its axis parallel with the axis of shaft 36. I also secure to said sewing machine arm 25, another bracket 98 on which is fixed an axially horizontal pivoted pin 99. The actuating rod 100 of the solenoid has fixed therein a transverse pin 101 to which is pivotally connected the inner end of a link 102. Intermediate the solenoid and the pin 101, the solenoid plunger 100 is straddled by the forked or slotted upper end of the vertical arm of a bell crank lever 103 rocking on pin 99. Surrounding said solenoid plunger 100-and on opposite sides of the bell crank arm 103, are a pair of springs 104 and 105. The outer end 106 of the bell crank is made in the form of a shear knife 107 and is further provided with an extension ear or lug 108 to which, by means of a pin 109, there is pivotally connected a lever 11.0. Said lever 110 is pivotall connected at its upper end to the outer en of the link 102 and the lower end of said lever 110 is made in the form of a shear knife which co-operates with the shear knife 107, previously referred to.

The shear knife 107 and 110 are so positioned as to form in effect, an open scissors positioned with its opening immediately above the line of stitching. At the proper time, i. e. when the gap between two strips passes under the scissors, the solenoid 97 is energized. As the spring 105 is considerably stouter than the spring 10 1, the arm 103 and link 102 move in unison or substantially in unison during the first portion of the movement of the plunger. This causes the scissors to drop over the thread. When spring 104 is completely compressed, the arm 103 can move no further and subsequent movement of the plunger 100 will simply move the link 102. The shear knife 107 being then stationary, although in operative position, the link 102 will, in its outward movement, close the scissors and snip the connection.

The energizing of the solenoid 97 at the proper times in the revolution of the drum 32 is effected by the following mechanism and connections. Referring to Figs. 3 and 9, it will be seen that on the inside of the periphery of the drum 32, there are positioned a plurality of small rollers 111, there being one roller for each strip or space between strips. Said rollers 111 are properly spaced. and positioned so that at the proper time, when it is desired to energize the solenoid, said roller 111 will engage the rounded head 112 of plunger 113. Said plunger 113 is positioned with its axis parallel with the axis of the machine and is mounted to slide in ,a fixed block 114. Normally the plunger 113 isflpressed outwardly by means of a coiled spring 115 surrounding the shank of the plunger and interposed between its head 112 and block 114. A head or collar 116 on the rear end of plunger 113 limits the movement of the plungerdue to the spring 115. The head 116 engages an insulated contact spring 117 having a contact 118 adapted to engage the contact 119 in a companion contact spring 120 whenever the plunger 113 is pushed inwardly. It is manifest that by including the contacts 118 and 119 in the circuit of solenoid 97 and the battery 121, the solenoid 97 will be energized Whenever one of the rollers 111 engages the head of the plunger 113.

In view of the foregoing description, the operation of the apparatus will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The drums are rotated continuously and the sewing machine also operates continuously to form a continuous line of stitching which, as to each of the two-ply strips 63, forms successive transverse pocket boundaries spaced along the length of the strip. It will also be manifest that said boundaries are successively formed as a regular sequence of operations or movements of the strip relative to the stitching head. The object of having more than a single strip being operated upon at the same time and on the same drum, is to prevent the loss of time and the loss of stitching effort intermediate the times when the same strip is being stitched to form the spaced pocket boundaries. With the arrangement as shown, the sewing machine can be operated continu ously at high speed and the effective stitching time is a high percentage of the total stitching time because of the relatively small interval or space between the adjacent edges of adjacent strips. It will be manifest also that in view of the relatively slow rotation of the drum, it is possible to refill or replenish the raw material supply of spools 61 and remove the finished material spools 87 while the machine is running. However, this particular feature is not so important when there is used a sewing machine having a large gap permitting a formation of a roll of finished strip having a comparatively large diameter.

It will also be readily understood that by the use of a plurality of sewing heads properly distributed around the periphery of the drum, the speed of sewing will be multiplied to that extent. In that case, obviously it will be necessary to advance the strip a plurality of spaces during each revolution of the drum.

Since the described details of operation and construction are illustrative of only one application of my invention, the scope of same should be determined by reference to the appended claims, said claims being construed as broadly as possible, consistently with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for connecting two-ply strips of fabric along a series of spaced lines each extending transversely of the strip so as to form a series of pockets therein, comprising a sewing head, a carrier for supporting a plurality of said strips, means for operating the sewing head, and means synchronized with the sewing head for effecting a continuous relative movement of the sewing head and all the strips crosswise of the latter and successive relative movements of said sewing head and the individual strips lengthwise of the latter during said continuous relative movement.

2. Apparatus for connecting a two-ply strip of fabric along a series of spaced lines each extending transversely of the strip so as to form a series of pockets therein, comprising a sewing head, a carrier for supporting a plurality of said strips, said carrier having means for effecting intermittent endwise movements of the strips thereon successively, means for operating the sewing head and means for effecting relative movements of the sewing head and strips crosswise of the latter in a continuous sequence, there being provided means for positioning the sewing head along said strips at definite spaced points corresponding to the desired lines of stitching.

3. Apparatus for connecting a two-ply strip of fabric along a series of spaced lines each extending transversely of the strip so as to form a series of pockets therein, comprising a sewing head, a rotary carrier for supporting a plurality of strips in substantial parallelism with the carrier axis, said carrier having means for effecting intermittent endwise movements of the strips thereon successively, means for operating the sewing head and means for effecting relative movement of the sewing head and strips crosswise of the latter.

4. Apparatus for connecting a two-ply strip of fabric along a series of spaced lines each extending transversely of the strip so as to form a series of pockets therein, comprislng a'sewing head, a rotary carrier for supporting a plurality of strips, said carrier havlng means for effecting intermittent endwise movements of the strips thereon successively, means for operating the sewing head mechanism and means for effecting relative movements of the sewing head and strips crosswise of the latter in a continuous sequence, there being provided means operative intermediate said relative movements for positioning the sewing head along said strip at definite spaced points corresponding to the desired lines of stitching.

5. Apparatus for connecting a two-ply strip of fabric along a series of spaced lines each extending transversely of the strip so as to form a series of pockets therein which comprises a stitching head, means for conveying a plurality of said strips arranged in substantial parallelism successively through the stitching zone and in the direction of the feed of the stitching head, means for effecting relative movement of said stitching head and strips lengthwise of the latter, means for actuating the stitching head and conveyer means in substantial synchronism so as to form a continuous line of stitching extending transversely across a plurality of said strips and means for severing the chain of stitching intermediate adjacent strips.

6. Apparatus for connecting two-ply strips of fabric along spaced lines extending transversely of the strips so as to form a series of pockets therein, which comprises a stitching head, a continuous means for supporting a plurality of strips in substantial parallelism and for conveying said strips successively in a direction transverse of the strips through the stitching zone in the direction of the feed of the stitching head, means for effecting successive endwise movements of said strips on said supporting means, and means for operating said stitching head.

7. Apparatus for connecting two-ply strips of fabric along spaced lines extending transversely of the strips so as to form a series of pockets therein, which comprises a stitching head, a continuous means for supporting a plurality of strips in substantial parallelism and for conveying said strips successively in a direction transverse of the strips through the stitching zone in the direction of the feed of the stitching head, means for effecting intermittent endwise movements of said strips successively on said supporting means, and means for operating said stitching head and said conveying means continuously in synchronism.

8. Apparatus for connecting a two-ply strip of fabric along a series of spaced lines each extending transversely of the strip so as to form a series of pockets therein which comprises a stitching head, a continuous means for supporting a plurality of strips in substantial parallelism and for conveying said strips successively in a direction transverse of the strips through the stitching zone in the direction of the feed of the stitching head, means for effecting relative movement of said stitching head and strips lengthwise of the latter, means for operating said stitching head, and means synchronized with the move ment of the conveying means for severing the chain of stitching extending between adjacent strips.

9. Apparatus for connectin a two-ply strip of fabric along a series of spaced lines each extending transversely of the strip so as to form a series of pockets therein which comprises a stitching head, a continuous means for supporting a plurality of strips in substantial parallelism and for conveying said strips successively in a direction transverse of the strips through the stitching zone in the direction of the feed of the stitching head, means for effecting relative movement of said stitching head and strips lengthwise of the latter, means for operating said stitch ing head and said conveying means continuously in synchronism, and means synchroing its axis arranged transverse to the direction of feed of the stitching head and adapted to form a support for a plurality of strips 4 arranged successively on said drum parallel with the axis thereof, and means on said drum for successively moving said strips endwisc between successive stitching operations.

11. Apparatus for connecting a two-ply strip of fabric along a series of spaced lines each extending transversely of the strip so as to form a series of pockets therein which comprises a stitching head, an endwise stationary rotary drum having its axis arranged transverse to the direction of feed of the stitching head and forming a support for a plurality of strips arranged successively on said drum parallel with the axis thereof, means for rotating said drum and operating said stitching head continuously in synchronism, and means on said drum for effecting endwise movements of said strips on said drum in a direction parallel to the axis of the latter.

May 23, 1925.

JOHN F. GAIL. 

